Tomato Tradition~

It's summer, so that means it's time to can!

A tradition started by my mother before I was born...

One she instilled in me from as young as I can remember...

And one that I am teaching my children to love and appreciate.

~Olivia washing the tomatoes/step 1~

 

 ~Ethan boiling the tomatoes for a few minutes, then putting them into cold water to cool/step 2&3~

 

 ~cooling toms~

 

 ~Me, cutting the softened tomatoes into a pan, preparing them for cooking/step 4~

 

~Emma, just being precious, drying off a tomato after it has been washed by Livy~

 



 ~Emma's tomato~

 

~Ethan wishing he could help me cut the softened tomatoes~

 

 ~getting fresh cooling water~

 

 ~cooling toms, waiting to be cut~

 

 ~tomato love~

 

~My sweet, diligent boy, helping me stir the first "cooking" of tomatoes/step 5~

 

 ~filling the jars, with the hot, cooked tomatoes/step 6~

 

 

~removing air bubbles with a knife/step 7~

 

~add lemon and salt to filled jars for preservation/step 8~

 

~add lids, and water bathe for 40 minutes/step 9&10~

 

~discard cutting scraps, and tidy kitchen while waiting for jars to water bathe/step 11~

 

~sweet Elijah playing with his pattern blocks. He had no interest in the tomatoes~

 

~enjoy the beauty of your handy work/step 12~

 

Thank you, Mom, for teaching me the art of canning...

 

Titus 2:3-5

 

Understanding the Love of God

Ephesians 3:16-19

"16.That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17. that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18. may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height- 19. to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

It was such a long time ago that these words were written by Paul.

They were words chosen by the Lord to be put in the Bible for us to have and live by.

Yet, I ask myself, do I know the Love of God? We all know that we love God. We live for Him.  We serve Him daily. We obey His word, but do we know how much He loves us? Have we tapped into understanding how vast and how great His love is for us? If we could grasp this, how would this change our lives?

I recently came across an excerpt from one of Beth Moore's Bible studies that I love, and wanted to share:

     "God's love for me extends in every direction. Because I am His child, all that is behind me must be worked toward good, even when I have failed (see Romans 8:28). In addition, everything ahead of me belongs to God. My future is entirely His, and His love extends through circumstances I have not yet known (see Jeremiah 29:11). No matter how deep I sink into a pit of despair, His hand can extend that much deeper to lift me out (see Psalm 40:2). No matter what heights this human experience can boast, God's ways are higher. Every day I spend with Him, I am lifted out of insignificance to ascend and take my place in God's High calling in Christ Jesus (see Isaiah 55:9; Phil. 3:14).

    Can you say to Him, ' I want to experience every part of You that is possible on this side of Heaven'? If you can then you will 'know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God' (see Eph. 3:19)."

Lord, through your grace, let us come to understand the breadth, length, depth, and height, of Your love for us.

Blessings~

Abbie

Comfy Goodness~

I am very excited about the my latest sewing project. I am making a stash of newborn fitted cloth diapers for our little gift that is due in August. Now that it is summer, and I am not homeschooling, I have plenty of time to sew! (smile).

(Inside of diaper~Infant Prefold in Indian Cotton)

I have a wonderful mentor friend who is an amazing diaper seamstress.I used her tutorial found here. She has been available to answer so many of my questions. She has made the start of my diaper sewing journey so much easier! I am hoping to make a collection of diapers as beautiful as the ones she made!

(Outside of diaper~Bamboo Velour~sand color)

I made a few trial diapers using scrap fabric. They turned out pretty well, and helped me realize things I needed to change or be aware of when I started using my good fabric. A couple days ago, I made my first real, usable cloth diaper(shown here in these pictures)! It turned out great! The fabrics are amazing, and the diaper feels so soft and snugly!

(Outside)

(This is a Bum Genius Flip Cover that I'll use over the fitted diapers)



 

I cloth diapered some with Elijah(my third child). You could say I got my feet wet with him :)

With Emma(baby number 4), I was even more inspired, and "almost" exclusively cloth diapered her.

Now, with number 5, I am to the point of "making" diapers!...wow... :)

 (Finished diaper, my kindle with my "goal" picture, and the trusty vintage Singer)

 

So Happy! :)

Raindrops and Puddles~

 

It's so easy to say no all the time.

No to all the little things our kids want to do that will just cause more work for Mommy.

 But, this day, I said yes.

What does it matter if I have to help them dry off and change their clothes?

What does it hurt to do an "extra" load of laundry?

 Such joy for them...

 So out of the box from our everyday routine...

 Yet, so needed.

Needed for them to play and jump in rain puddles.

To abandon all carefullness, and just have fun.

To take a break from the normal, and enjoy God's rain.

 It's so easy to say no...to stay within the confines of our schedule...

 But, the happiness it brought us all...

 To lay aside the next thing that should be done...

And just say yes.

Further Up and Further In

  

One of my favorite things to do with my children, while driving in the car, is listen to the audio drama of The Chronicles of Narnia. The Cd's were a gift to my children from my mom. I never read the books as a child, although my sister did. She had the entire collection of books. For years I remember going to bed, gazing at all the books on our bookshelf in my room, and always wondering what those particular books were about. They seemed so strange to me, with strange pictures on the cover. Never though, did I dive into reading them. What a treasure I was missing out on.



   We have listened to the Narnia Cd's multiple times, never tiring of their excitement, mystery, and moments that leave us gripped with emotion. I never realized these stories would shine such a light on God, and His love for us. The final CD, The Last Battle, has such a powerful ending to it. Aslan the lion (a picture of Jesus), is calling the children (who have grown up throughout all the stories) to come further up and further in, into the new Narnia (a picture of Heaven). It is the most beautiful thing. No matter how far they go with him, there is always more beauty, more grandeur. I can't do the story justice, but it is so God.

 

I feel, in my own life, although Jesus is not calling me into heaven yet, He is calling me into more of Him here on earth. The more of Him I get, the bigger He becomes, and the smaller I feel. The more beauty I see, the more I want to be like Him, and less like me.

 

When you want to be aggravated...

"Come Further Up and Further In..."

 

When you have self-pity...

"Come Further Up and Further In..."

 

When you want to judge...

"Come Further Up and Further In..."

When you are afraid...

"Come Further Up and Further In..."

 

When you are stressed...

"Come Further Up and Further In..."

 

When you want to quit...

"Come Further Up and Further In..."

 

When the enemy lies...

"Come Further Up and Further In..."

When you feel alone...

"Come Further Up and Further In..."

 

When you can't see the way...

"Come Further Up and Further In..."

 

There is joy in Him...(Nehemiah 8:10)

 

There is confidence in Him...(1 John :14)

 

There is humility in Him...(2 Chronicles 7:14)

 

There is boldness in Him...(Hebrews 4:16)

 

There is peace in Him...(Philippians 4:7)

 

There is perseverance in Him...(Galatians 6:9)

 

There is truth in Him...(Psalm 119:160)

There is comfort in Him...(Matthew 11:28-30)

 

There is light in Him...(Psalm 119:105)

 

What more do we need? What can we do on our own? What can we be on our own?

It is all found in Jesus. When we leave the path of this world, and what it says is right, and comfortable, and self pleasing...and fling ourselves wholeheartedly into Jesus, we can never fail.

Every moment of every day is a choice to come Further Up and Further In, in Him...



A peek into my medicine cabinet~

 

I believe in using the things our Creator has given us to help heal our bodies, that HE created.

I want to share with you some of my all time favorite "go-to's" when colds strike my family.

SALT:

When those noses start to run, I immediately get my salt.

 

There is nothing like it. I like to use a good quality natural sea salt.

I mix about a 1/4 tsp. of salt with 1 cup of warm water.

 Then I get my little sucker bulb, my child (or myself). Head over the sink, I squeeze a full bulb of that warm salt water up each nostril. Repeat if needed. It's amazing what comes out of those little ones' noses, that blowing alone, will not budge! It's not the most pleasant experience, but my kids know that it helps them so much, and will even ask me to "do their nose" when they feel stuffy. The great benfit to using the salt water, is that it kills the bacteria, and helps loosen up all that mucous, and expel it. If the bacteria stays in the nose and sinus cavity (which is where a cold starts), it will multiply, and spread to other areas, like the ears and throat.

COLLOIDAL SILVER:

 I have been using colloidal silver, with wonderful results, for years. It is used as a natural antibiotic. My whole family (even as babies )have enjoyed its benefits. After doing the salt water procedure above, I will drop two drops of colloidal silver in each nostril. The best way to do this is to lay on a bed with your head slightly laying off the edge. Once the drops are in, I have my children lay down for a few minutes to let the silver work, before running out when they sit up.

 Colloidal silver can also be dropped in the ears, and the eyes. I have healed many ear infections and pink eye using it.

HONEY:

When my children complain of a sore throat, I make them honey cinnamon tea (unless they are two years of age and younger).

I heat water (not to a boil, just warm, so it does not kill the good things in the honey and cinnamon) and pour it into a tea cup. Then, I add one teaspoon of  local honey, and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon. I give them this usuall two times a day when they have a sore throat.

Health Benefits of Honey:

1. Prevent cancer and heart disease

2. Reduce ulcers and other gastrointestinal disorders

3. Anti-bacterial, anti-fungal

4. Increase athletic performance

5. Reduce cough and throat irritation

6. Blood sugar regulation

7.  Heal wounds and burns

8.  Probiotic

GARLIC:

 

Garlic has so many healing properties. One being that it helps to ward off colds and viruses. For myself and my two older children, I will finely chop one tsp. of garlic (usually about one clove), and let it sit for about 15 minutes. I put it in a spoon, and cover with honey. Then, down the hatch! The honey helps get the garlic down :). My little ones (three and five) can't quite take this yet, but they will one day. It is really not that bad, and the results are worth it.

 

There are many other things I use, as well as these, to strengthen our immune systems and help us get through a cold without letting it turn into something worse and having to go to the doctor to get on antibiotics. These are just a few of my favorites.

 

Be blessed, and healthy...

 

Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. Genesis 1:29

 

"The Art of Mothering"

moth·er

/ˈməT͟Hər/

Noun A woman in relation to a child or children to whom she has given birth.

Verb Bring up (a child) with care and affection: "the art of mothering".

Synonyms mama - mamma - parent - mom - ma - mum - mummy   As mine and my husband's quiver has grown over the years, I am realizing that the "giving birth" part of being a mother is probably the easiest part of all. The beauty of carrying a child inside of your body, and feeling the first little kick, and seeing your belly swell to the point of not being able to see your feet anymore is such a God given gift. After all He is at work in you in such a powerful way. His hand is upon you everyday as He knits that little one together. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. Psalm 139:13  Once you hold that precious baby in your arms for the first time, you are never the same. Your love multiplies beyond what you could ever imagine.   Then those little ones begin to grow (quickly). They begin to have new needs, new desires, new challenges, new joys. As a mother who is with her children, virtually all the time (since I home school), I get a lot of time to practice the verb of mother Bring up (a child) with care and affection: "the art of mothering". This is an enormous task, that requires dependency on the Lord for strength and help.   ...with care~ Feel concern or interest; attach importance to something: It is easy to just 'get through the day', but those little ones know whether you are really interested in what they are saying, what picture they just drew, their story, their fear. They know, and it is so important to make the effort to show them you care; that you really are interested, and see what they are trying to share with you, as important. If we make a habit of brushing them off now, and not truly listening, will they come to us when they are older? Will they feel the connection, and comfort of sharing things with Mama then? ...with affection~ A gentle feeling of fondness or liking. Physical expressions of these feelings.   These little eyes are watching us like a hawk. They do not miss a thing. They can sense joy, silliness, love, fear, frustration. My children are like sponges, and they respond to my cues. I can't hide my emotions very well, and they know it. Our children need to feel that they are liked. They need hugs, kisses, tickles. In the business of our day we need to always remember to express our love and not just assume they know we love them. Those extra kisses on the head, the random hug, or cuddle, can make all the difference in their little hearts. Keeping up with the daily demands of being a mom isn't easy for anyone. But being strong, and joyful, and not letting your stress and frustrations shine through is something I know we all need to work on. It is so important that our kids see Jesus in us; that they see the fruits of the Spirit "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control". To me, that is harder than giving birth any day :) A Mother's Influence I Took a piece of plastic clay And idly fashioned it one day, And as my fingers pressed it still, It moved and yielded to my will. I came again when days were passed; The bit of clay was hard at last, The form I gave it still it bore, But I could change that form no more! I took a piece of living clay And touched it gently day by day, And molded with my power and art A young child's soft and yielding heart. I came again when years were gone; It was a man I looked upon; That early impress still he wore, And I could change that form no more! Anon.   Some days I feel the task is too great. How can I effectively mold these precious lambs, and influence what they will be? But God is in us. He holds our hand, and says follow Me. Listen to His still, small voice. Be encouraged.You are not alone.